Question of the Day: If You Could Buy One, Would You?

I’m a bit of a nut when it comes to big guns. Why? Because guns. They’re a lot of fun to shoot. Well, it’s a lot of fun to see what happens to what you shoot. Thanks to Uncle Sam’s regle du jeu, I won’t be seeing this SAW in my gun safe anytime soon. As a fantasy check, I put it to you: if you could, if you had the money and buying one wasn’t machine gun impossible, would you add a FN MINIMI light machine gun to your collection? Here’s the press release . . .

Belgium-based small arms manufacturer FN Herstal unveils the next generation FN MINIMI light machine gun in both 5.56mm and 7.62mm calibers during the MILIPOL exhibition in Paris, November 19 – 22 2013.

The modifications introduced on the FN MINIMI Mk3 result from feedback provided by users engaged in current operating theatres. Indeed, the demands of users have evolved over the past 10 to 15 years due to changes in the way the FN MINIMI machine gun is used in combat (increased use of accessories, evolutions in the soldier’s equipment, and changes in tactics such as shooting from all positions).

The new FN MINIMI Mk3 offers the users improved ergonomics and improved mobility while retaining the same core mechanism as the previous versions, for a limited impact on logistics which includes; an ergonomic buttstock adjustable in length (5 positions) to allow compensation for body armor and load bearing equipment, a new handguard/bipod assembly that provides a comfortable handguard and three forward MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny accessory rails, an optional heatshield that greatly reduces the risk of inadvertently touching the barrel and the convertibility of the FN MINIMI 7.62 to fire 5.56x45mm ammunition.

113 Responses to Question of the Day: If You Could Buy One, Would You?

I would. I couldn’t feed such a beast, and I’d rather have a precision long range rifle and optic that cost just as much that I could use for something other than making a lot of noise at the range. Nor do I foresee a situation that suppressive fire would be something I would have an actual need for–and until then, a MG is just an expensive range toy.

Problem with SAWs is they are not precision weapons. They are area suppression weapons. The next generation of Light MG have to have a huge improvement in accuracy sans T@E so infantry soldiers using the MG can provide pinpoint accurate fire . I’d like to see some soldiers use this weapon to find out just how good it really is. FN makes some really good stuff.

I’m guessing you have not fired full auto before…especially belt fed. It ain’t about need. It’s about that big smile you won’t be able to wipe off your face every time you think about how much fun you had shooting it.

It really depends on how counterfactual the counterfactual fantasy is.

How much would it cost if the 86 ban never happened? It is still a nice piece of gear, but I would think it should be closer to 10k than 20. More to the point, without the 86 ban a Thompson would not be anywhere near 20k, more like 2k tops.

A full auto real M4 should cost $1,000. There’s only 1 real part difference, a stamped auto sear toggle. Were the free market allowed to operate normally I would totally buy one. Whether I could afford to shoot the thing full auto would be another separate issue, but its one I would have liked the opportunity to have. How the heck can the 1986 new full auto act pass muster as a non-arbitrary law?

I’d buy one! Nice to see they have addressed ergonomics – I thought the M-249 was one of the least comfortable firearms I’ve ever shot, but the M-240 was a sweetheart!

And I don’t understand why the registry is closed.
Statistically speaking, aren’t legal MG’s the least used in crimes? IIRC, only two have ever been used in crimes, so that makes them a hell of a lot safer than your average Glock… Right?

If I could afford one, I would certainly be a buyer. I had some exposure to the SAW in the Marine Corps, and it is a hoot to shoot. It’s kind of a neat thing shooting a string of rounds with a cyclic rate quick enough to actually see a gray streak of lead moving downrange. (They appeared gray to me, even though they wore copper jackets.)

I wouldn’t because of ammo cost, lack of facilities permitted to use FA anywhere around me, and no particular hunting purpose for a tool like that. But in the event we run out of other people’s money this might be handy to have.

I’d buy it and a 22lr conversion kit so I could afford to feed it. I am assuming if it was legal a conversion kit would be available.

As far as costs go. Before the tax stamp act on machine guns a Thompson could be ordered from a mail order catalog for around 150.00. Of course this was pre depression so that’s like 1300 in today’s dollars. I would assume that would be around the cost.

A full auto ar15 would not be much more to produce than a semi only. Many at owners already upgrade to the full auto capable bolt carrier I believe.

you need an RPK-74 too, to blow off those cans of 5.45 that are just weighing you down in life.

Every time I get behind my AES-10B RPK I wish it had the giggle position on the safety, but it makes up for it by being the most accurate 7.62×39 rifle that I own – I have shot 3″ groups with that rifle at 200yds, 4x scoped, with plain old Wolf FMJ

Yeah, I could go over to Finnland but Norway ism uch better generally. I will gladly give up 7.62x54R and 5.45 (lol no; I will get something 7.62x54R anyway) if it means less of a hassle to get guns and a better economy.

It would be like owning a sports car. Expensive to maintain and use. For most people it wouldn’t get used much or at all. Look at Ebay motors and see how many Ferraris and Lamborghinis have low miles, even for 10-20 year old cars.

Personally, I’d buy a Ferrari before I’d buy a machine gun. A Ferrari goes anywhere (almost) anytime, into any place you want to go, and fills the other seat with beautiful women. A MG? Not so much. Priorities, I suppose.

If you have money and I mean real money…you could own one of these. What are friends in high places (that you helped put there ) for? There are rules and then there are rules. The rules dont apply to people like Bloomy and Soros.

Even if I could buy one, do I really have a few thousand kicking around for a heavy range toy with no other real purpose? Carrying a SAW around sucks. So right now, the answer is no, but in the future when I get rich it could be kind of fun. Just like Maseratis and Ferraris. Most of us don’t care about them, and have no use for them. I’d just like to be ABLE to buy whatever I want.

More importantly, what I would like to be able to buy, at bargain price, with no NFA restrictions:

Mark 18 CQBR M4A1, with a good quality suppressor on it.

Assuming there were no restrictions, I seriously doubt that between all the various companies in the business (Colt, AAC, Surefire, Cough cough), they couldn’t put together a high quality “everyman-home defense platform” with rifle, suppressor light, and sling for under 1800 out the door. That’s the first Item I would buy, and probably the last. Maybe two, just to have an extra laying around in case I need a loaner.

I’d like me some belt fed full auto fun for sure if all the fiscal and legal planets aligned, but in my estimation there’s only a few machine guns that qualify as artwork you can shoot and none are a Minimi. I’m thinking Vickers Gun, German/Finnish/Russian Maxims, Browning M1917/1919, Lewis Gun etc. There’s just something about the heft and steady controllable ROF of a WWI machine gun that really speaks to me.

On the cheaper/cost effective/greater mobility end of the spectrum, can’t go wrong with the trusty PKM and a crate full of 7.62 x 54R. Or a BAR and .30-06 if I were inclined to Buy American.

No as a matter of principle. The SAW is the modern chauchat LMG.
S – Shitty
A – Ass
W – Weapon
Or,
S – Stack
A – All
W – Weapons
Since the single most useful job the M249 performs is as a rest to stack Marines’ M-4’s, A-4’s, 27’s, & 32 A-1’s.

Joe,
Back in 87 I got to shoot an FN standard 249 and one that was modified to make the idiots in army procurement happy. Two totally different weapons. The original design was a pretty decent piece of work and the army fucked it up royally. Ditto the M-16A2, M-60 MG, and many other weapons systems. My problem with the SAW is the caliber of the ammo and that SS109 projectile. Its a flying ice pick at any extended range.